Process of producing silicospiegel.



No; 861,225. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

E. 1*. PRICE. PROCESS OF PRODUCING SILIGOSPIEGEL.

APPLICATION IILED.NOV.14.1905| fi'z'ircess ea I Inverdor; I W cf ju a, 6@511 UNITED srA'rEs Parana onrron.

EDGAR F. PRlCE, on n AeARA FALLS, new YORK.

. PROCESS OF PRODUCING SILICOSEIEG-EL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR F. Pnrcn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes ofProducing Silicospiegel, of which the following is a specification.

According to this process, a charge containing compounds of manganeseand silicon,and iron or iron ore is smelted in an electric-arc furnace,carbon being added to the charge in amount sufiicient to not only effectreduction of the manganese and silicon but also to protect the carbonelectrodes from oxidation. A considerable body of the charge ismaintained around the depending electrode or electrodes, and thered.uc-.

tion, withdrawal of the product and supply of the charge-mixture areconducted as a continuous operation. The potential difference betweenthe electrode terminals is preferably kept at the minimum valuerequisite for the maintenance of an arc, to prevent leakage of currentthrough the charge.

A suitable arc furnace is shown in the accompanying drawing, in whichthe figure is an axial section through the tap-holes.

The furnace comprises sides 1 of refractory material,

such as carborundum, siloxicon, silica or carbon, and

a hearth 2 of carbon, surrounded by a metal casing 3 having an electricterminal 4.. The carbon hearth constitutes one electrode and the otherelectrode is a depending carbon rod 5. Tap-holes 6, 7 for slag and metalextend through the side walls at different heights.

In employing this furnace we carry out the process,

an arc is established between the depending electrode I and lhe carbonhearth and a small amount of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 14,1905. Berial at. zsasm.

P'atented July 23,1901

the deep body of the charge surrounding the depending electrodeeffectively protects it from oxidation and retains the heat within thefurnace, both increasing the production of the metal and maintaining theproduct in a molten condition without especial attention. The use ofthis deep body is made possible by, and makes it important to employ,the minimum potential difference between the electrode terminals, toprevent excessive Waste of current by shunting through the charge. Thefurnace is operated continuously, the product being drawn off and thecharge-mixture added as required.

The process may be obviously carried out in a furnace having twodepending electrodes of opposite polarity, the are being sprung b ztweenthe lower ends of the electrodes or between each electrode and the carbon hearth.

I claim:-

1. The process of producing silico-spiegel by smelting a charge ofcompounds of manganese and silicon, carbon and asource of iron, whichconsists lnestablishing an electric are within the charge, surroundingthe zone of reduction and protecting the electrode or electrodes by aconsiderable body of the charge, and withdrawing the product andsupplying the charge-mixture as required, as set forth.

2. The process of produting silico-spiegel by smelting a charge ofcompounds of manganese and silicon, carbon and a source of iron, whichconsists in establishing an electricare within the charge, su roundingthe zone of reductlou and protecting the clectrxle or electrodes by aconsiderable body of the charge, and maintaining between the elec'ironic-terminals the minimum potential difference requisite to effectreduction, theieby preventing excessive loss of current by leakagethrough the charge, as set forth.

3 The process of producing silico-spiegel by smelting 1*. charge ofcompounds of manganese and silicon, carbon and a source of iron, whichconsists in establishing an electric are within the charge, surroundingthe zone of reduction and protecting the electrode or electrodes by aconsiderable body of the charge, maintaining between the elec(rode-terminals the minimum potential difference rerpil site to ellectreduction, thereby preventing excessive loss of current by leakagethrough the charge, and withdrawing the product and supplying thechargcunixturc as required, us set forth.

in testimony whereof, I uflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDGAR F. PRICE.

